Overview

The Consumer Protection (Postal Marketing) Act 2011 amends the Postal Services Act 2000 to exempt mass marketing mailings designed to defraud recipients from certain regulations. This aims to improve consumer protection against fraudulent postal marketing schemes.

Description

This bill modifies the Postal Services Act 2000. Specifically, it adds a new subsection (7) to section 83. This new subsection creates an exception to the existing rules. The existing rules cover certain aspects of unsolicited mail. The new exception states that if there is reasonable belief that a postal item is part of a mass marketing campaign intended to defraud the recipient, then the existing regulations do not apply. This means that certain types of fraudulent junk mail would be exempt from the existing regulations in the Postal Services Act 2000. The bill also contains standard clauses providing for its short title (Consumer Protection (Postal Marketing) Act 2011) and immediate commencement upon passage.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The cost of enforcement under the existing legislation relating to fraudulent mail is expected to remain largely the same. No specific figures regarding financial implications were available in the provided text.

Groups Affected

• Consumers: This bill could potentially affect consumers who receive fraudulent postal marketing materials. The amendment may make it more difficult to prosecute those behind such schemes if it is deemed the mail is part of a wider fraudulent marketing campaign.
• Businesses engaged in legitimate postal marketing: The bill is not expected to directly affect legitimate businesses. The exemption only applies to mailings designed to defraud.
• Law enforcement agencies: This bill may slightly alter their approach to investigating fraudulent postal marketing schemes.

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